Misconceptions of Mathematics Teacher Candidates on STEM: What Lies Under the Cognitive Structure

This study aims to deeply analyze the cognitive structures of mathematics teacher candidates regarding STEM and to identify their underlying misconceptions about this educational approach. The participants of the study, which adopted the case study design, consisted of 182 mathematics teacher candidates. Research data were collected using metaphor technique, independent word association test, and writing-drawing technique together. The data were analyzed using content analysis. The results of the study show that mathematics teacher candidates perceive STEM in a narrow framework through specific components, rather than as a holistic educational approach. Participants perceive STEM content as technology and experiment-oriented, and see it as an applicable approach only in science and mathematics courses. In the cognitive structures of teacher candidates, STEM is mostly identified with doing experiments, a subject in mathematics course, and technologically equipped classrooms. In addition, from a pedagogical point of view, the results show that they identify STEM with traditional approaches and do not fully grasp its student-centered and interactive structure.